I had several women ask me how I was able to grocery shop for a week on twenty dollars. Yes, really! $20.00 After paying all of the bills for the week that's all the money I had for groceries. I set out to see what I could buy for $20. As I went down the isle the first time my heart ached as I realized how hard this task was going to be. There was so many people in the store I was overwhelmed and left the store. I went back the next day and I wrote down ideas as I went down the isle. I looked at potatoes, canned goods, veggies. I checked out everything. I wrote down prices of everything that was cheaper. Trying to put together a cheap meal. Thank goodness for our local ALDI's.
What I figured out in the end that I could get a frozen family meal for about 2.99 or less. So, I would usually pick out a lasagna, Salsburg steak in gravy that I matched with mashed potatoes in a box because it was cheaper then a bag of potatoes. turkey and gravy that I also matched with those potatoes. Sometimes a pot pie or two. Burritos were about .49¢ each and a box of speghetti and sauce. sometimes I could get some veggies if I had a left over dollar, Sometimes I bought ramen noodles or a few cans of vegetables.
I laugh every time I'm thinking about the Ramen noodles because I had heard that Elon Musk wanted to see if he could live a month on $10. A month. I was thinking... Wow! What did he buy because I was thinking I was doing good on $20. A week. After listening to his story he had found that he could live off Ramen noodles. That's ok for a single man but that really isn't realistic for a small family.
I figured -7 meals A week. So, that was usually dinner. I bought oatmeal for breakfast and sometimes cream of wheat, or coco wheats. This would fill me up till dinner. Hot cereal is a good thing if you are hungry and need to fill your belly.
I now know that when feeding A larger family on a tough budget there are a few good meals that you can stretch.
Tacos- 1 pound of meat goes A long way. I usually put 2 cans of chili beans in with some taco seasonings. Get some Taco shells and salsa instead of tomatoes. It last longer, you can use it for more meals and its easier to get more veggies in the kids. Make sure you get medium, not mild or hot or your kids might be on fire and not like the idea. We like onions and I really don't do lettuce cause I can taste the pestacides. So, if its not growing in my garden or my friend doesn't have any then I go without. I like spinach way better.
Spaghetti- I make this go further. How you ask? Well, instead of dumping A whole jar of sauce on my spaghetti noodles I cook the meat, noodles separate and then while they are still hot we pour or spoon ( if you have youngsters) spaghetti sauce on top of it. That way it saves more sauce for a lunch pasta. I also get garlic bread or a loaf of Italian bread if its cheaper and cut it in half, put pats of butter along the top, I then add garlic powder, sea salt and Italian seasoning and oregano. Sometimes I'll add cheese on top when its almost done. Depending on how much cheese cost that week and how much I have in the fridge or freezer.
These are just a few of my frugal family meals that can cut costs.
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